It is important for children to have playthings which are fun for them to use and also educational. Since a child may spend much time playing during his or her developmental years, a significant consideration in making toys is that they aid in developing the child's intellect and creativity. Creative leisure activities are indeed beneficial for people of all ages. It is also helpful for toys to be sturdy and relatively simple and inexpensive to make, thus minimizing their cost.
People apparently have had a long-time interest in toys involving use of string to make three-dimensional geometric patterns. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 501,675, issued to Collins on Jul. 18, 1893, describing an educational toy to be used for making designs with string. The device of the Collins patent has two facing, horizontally-disposed walls joined by a central pole piece wherein the walls have pins on their edges so that designs may be created by wrapping string around the pins on the edges of the walls. Other toys for making geometric designs with string, thread, or other string-like material are described in the following U.S. patents, which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,540, issued to Lemelson on Feb. 8, 1977; U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,133, issued to Charman on Sep. 6, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,730, issued to Koff on Aug. 14, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,998, issued to Brynjegard on Sep. 12, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,034 issued to Beecham on Jun. 29, 1971; U.S. Pat. No. 3,038,272, issued to Colston on Jun. 12, 1962; U.S. Pat. No. 2,757,459, issued to Walker on Jun. 22, 1954; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,728,149, issued to Radt on Dec. 27, 1955. The Walker patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,757,459, shows three panels secured together to form a three-dimensional corner, wherein each one of the walls has apertures through it so that string may be weaved through the device to form three-dimensional designs between the panels.
While each of the toys described in the foregoing patents are advantageous in that they may be used to form designs, and in some cases three-dimensional designs, with string, there are limits to their use. For example, in each case the parts of the device are fixed, and the designs once formed may only be varied by removing the string or thread from the device and re-threading it to create a new design. In the Beecham patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,034, pegs inserted in the device may be removed and placed in new locations in order to provide a frame for making new designs.
As may be appreciated, those concerned with the development and welfare of children are continuously in search of new toy designs. Also, it would be advantageous to enhance the educational and entertainment value of string-type weaving toys to provide a toy with which designs may not only be formed between the parts but also varied, without having to remove either the string or parts of the toy to create the new designs. The instant invention provides such a device. Further advantages may appear more fully upon consideration of the description given below.